The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for testing modems and trunks and, more particularly, to a method and system for testing a communication line having a modem associated with a respective trunk by using historical modem data in conjunction with trunk signaling data.
Remote office test line (ROTL) tests the ability of a DS0 or a trunk to pass a series of tones. A DS0 and a trunk are communication lines between two switches carrying one voice signal. ROTL testing measures trunk parameters such as gain slope, echo return loss, noise, attenuation, and the like. A network operations center performs ROTL testing periodically such as once a week. A problem with ROTL testing is that there is no correlation of actual modem performance to specific DS0s. In essence, the problem with ROTL testing is that it does not test the ultimate quality indicator such as the actual level of service the user is experiencing. What is needed is a method and system for testing the actual level of service provided by modems and associated trunks.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for testing a communication line having a modem and an associated trunk by using historical modem data in conjunction with signaling data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for testing a modem associated with a trunk by using historical modem data in conjunction with trunk signaling data.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system for testing a trunk associated with a modem by using historical modem data in conjunction with trunk signaling data.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for testing a modem associated with a trunk by using historical modem data such as connect rates, connect times, and connect speeds in conjunction with signaling system 7 (SS7) signaling data.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system for testing a trunk associated with a modem by using historical modem data such as connect rates, connect times, and connect speeds in conjunction with SS7 signaling data.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides a method for testing trunks and modems of communication lines. The method includes identifying a trunk and a modem in a communication line from trunk signaling data. Performance data of the modem in the communication line is then measured. The performance data of the modem is correlated with the trunk signaling data to associate the performance data of the modem with the trunk in the communication line. The performance data of the modem is then analyzed to determine if the communication line is operating improperly.
The performance data of the modem may be analyzed to determine if the trunk is operating improperly. The performance data of the modem may also be analyzed to determine if the modem is operating improperly. The performance data of the modem includes the time the modem is connected with the trunk, the speed of which data is communicated through the modem and the trunk in the communication line, and the rate at which the modem connects with the trunk.
Further, in carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides a method and an associated system for testing trunks in communications lines. The method is for use in a communications network having a communications system and a signaling network. The communications system includes trunks and modems. The signaling network is operable with the communications system to establish communication lines using trunk signaling data. Each communication line includes a trunk and a modem. The method includes measuring performance data of a first modem in a first communication line. The first communication line includes the first modem and a trunk. The performance data of the first modem is then correlated with the trunk signaling data to associate the performance data of the first modem with the trunk. The performance data of a second modem in a second communication line is then measured. The second communication line includes the second modem and the trunk. The performance data of the second modem is then correlated with the trunk signaling data to associate the performance data of the second modem with the trunk. The performance data of the first modem and the second modem are then analyzed to determine if the trunk is operating improperly.
Still, in carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides a method and an associated method for testing modems in communication lines for use in the communications network. The method includes measuring performance data of a modem in a first communication line. The first communication line includes the modem and a first trunk. The performance data of the modem is then correlated with the trunk signaling data to associate the performance data of the modem with the first communication line. The performance data of the modem in a second communication line is then measured. The second communication line includes the modem and a second trunk. The performance data of the modem is then correlated with the second trunk signaling data to associate the performance data of the modem with the second communication line. The performance data of the modem of the first communication line and the performance data of the modem of the second communication line are then analyzed to determine if the modem is operating properly.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.